Lois and Ed Smart Speak

KSL-TV ^ | July 24, 2002 | Sam Penrod

[Palladin]

"I FEEL THAT IT'S EASIER TO THINK OF HER AS NOT BEING HERE ON THIS EARTH BEING WITH HER HEAVENLY FATHER."

I find this quote very strange. I should think that any normal father would prefer to think of his daughter as being alive, in whatever circumstances. Where there's life, there's hope. Does Ed Smart know that his daughter is no longer among the living? If so, how would he know, unless he has had contact with the kidnappers?

[hsmomx3]

I find it very strange that they would not allow the sister to give a description to a sketch artist. If it were my child missing, I would do this in a heartbeat. And I could not take a day off or move on with my life until the child was found. Something is not right with this kidnapping/abduction.

[Palladin]

What are your thoughts on Ed Smart's behavior and replies to the media? Do you agree with crimewriter Dominick Dunne that "There is something wrong with this family"?

[hsmomx3]

I thought something was strange from the beginning. A few things come to mind such as: Were family members involved? Was this a money issue? And the father sounds a little strange. Whatever became of the tabloid trash article?

[Palladin]

Thank you for your observation. The fact that renowned crime sketch artist Jeanne Boylan is just now getting involved--7 weeks into the case--has people wondering. Jeanne has stated her utmost support for the LEA in SLC. Could she be working with them to set a trap for Ed Smart, or other individuals "trusted in the community" who may be co-conspirators in this unusual kidnapping?

[Palladin]

The tabloid "trash" article about the three Smart brothers being involved in a gay sex ring has never been refuted by the Smarts or anyone else. The Smarts have issued an ambiguous "no comment". There may be blackmail afoot here, as well as kidnapping.

[Rad_J]

I would much rather have my child in heaven than repeatedly raped and tortured by some nutcase. There are worse things than death.

At this point, I think he is just facing reality. What else can he do? I think it would be very strange if he said "I FEEL THAT IT'S EASIER TO THINK THAT SHE IS ALIVE AND BEING REPEATEDLY RAPED AND TORTURED."

I think that what happenned to the 5 year old girl in California has something to do with him wanting to beleive that she is dead instead of suffering every minute of every day. Wanting her to stay alive through something like that would be selfish.

[hsmomx3]

I never thought of that angle--setting a trap!

[Tacis]

I'm afraid I a little more cynical. I had 14 year old daughters and they can be viciuos. Once you put aside the sister's "testimony," do we know that this girl simply didn't run away with the pool boy? Do we known that she did not marry one of the Mormon polygamists, like the one recently jailed who also had 14 year old wives?

[Palladin]

It would be a pretty clever way to get someone aligned with LEA "inside" the Smart family. Boylan is said to build up an immediate trust and rapport with those she interviews, especially children. Perhaps Mary Katherine told her things she has not told anyone else.

Ranger, I agree with your conjectures on the other thread:

Ricci is a scumbucket loser, but I don't believe that he did this crime. That does NOT mean that he won't be tried and convicted for it, though- especially if there is someone a little more influential in the community who needs to be covered up for...

[Palladin]

There is nothing to indicate that Elizabeth was taken by a nutcase rapist. She may have been taken by a polygamist as a bride, and may now be having consensual marital relations. I would much rather think of my daughter in this context, than think of her taking a dirt nap.

[tracer]

Don't quit your day job. You will starve as an investigator....

[Palladin]

Although Elizabeth is reported by all who know her to be a sweet, obedient, compliant, quiet child, you may be right. It's the quiet ones you have to worry about. She may have executed a carefully-planned elopement with an older guy. The little sister may have been sworn to secrecy.

[Palladin]

Thanks for the advice, but being a person of independent means, I find paid employment unnecessary. True crime is, for me, a hobby.

[mystery-ak]

Now that we know that a sketch artist is involved in the case.....one simple queston: Did the kidnapper have a moustache?

[tracer]

You sound like a hobbyist, and one with too much time on his hands.

BTW, if your screen name is reference to being an advocate/champion/knight or the character played by Richard Boone, you've misspelled it with an extra "l"....

[Palladin]

Ah! The elusive moustache....real or fake? Friend or foe?

What do you all make of the motivation for having Jeanne Boylan come in at this late stage of the game? An attempt by the Smarts and their PR person Chris Thomas to suppress criticism, after the sketch in the Samantha Runnion case proved so effective? A stealth weapon for the FBI--getting Jeanne inside the Smart compound, and inside MK's mind? A copyrighted and confidentiality-sealed sketch by a famous artist for the Smarts upcoming book about the case?

[mystery-ak]

If they have a sketch why don't they release it, or maybe it doesn't match who the PD has in custody?

[Villiany_Inc]

"Do we known that she did not marry one of the Mormon polygamists, like the one recently jailed who also had 14 year old wives?"

The polygamist you are referring to is Tom Green. Got convicted of polygamy because of little used 'common law marriage' statutes. Otherwise, he was legally only married to one woman.
His own fault really, for sharing Utah's dirty little secret on national TV (Dateline). Had he shut up or just stuck to the Springers/Jones/Maury's of trash TV, you would never of heard about him. He forced the prosecutor to save face for UT. (Green's prosecutor is brother to UT governor.)

[Palladin]

They refuse to call it a sketch. They call it a result or a product. You can bet your bottom dollar that the "result" or "product" of the brilliant Jeanne Boylan is a sketch...and a very good one. She even went so far as to ascertain the skin texture of the person seen by MK.

The "results" were probably not what the Smarts expected, after coaching MK for 7 weeks to come up with a mental picture that resembled Ricci. Surprise, surprise! -- as Gomer Pyle would say...

RE: moustaches--David Smart has one. He also has bad skin.